


Her Cub

by Rubymoon_Snape



Series: Mama Lions [6]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Age Regression/De-Aging, Galra Keith (Voltron), Gen, Kid Keith (Voltron), Kid Lance (Voltron), Kid Shiro (Voltron), M/M, Mama Red Lion, Mama lions - Freeform, Parental Red Lion (Voltron), Sentient Voltron Lions, Space Dad Shiro (Voltron), Team as Family, klance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-08
Updated: 2019-11-17
Packaged: 2020-02-28 13:55:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 5,309
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18757774
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rubymoon_Snape/pseuds/Rubymoon_Snape
Summary: Red will always take care of her cub, always.





	1. Her Cub

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Keith's sleep is disturbed by nightmares again, he tries to go to the training deck as usual, but this time, Red puts a stop to that and takes care of him, allowing him to sleep within her cockpit.

"Her Cub"

Keith awoke with a gasp, sitting bolt upright in bed. He panted, trying to get more air into his lungs. Why did he even bother trying to sleep anymore? Every night was just interrupted with nightmares. He knew the team could see the dark circles under his eyes and noticed him staying on the training deck for long extended periods of time. He couldn't help it. He couldn't fall back asleep after having a nightmare and working out tended to help with any edge still there.

He got up and went to put his casual day clothes on, when he heard a roar in his mind. He paused and cocked his head. "Red?"

"Stay in your night clothes and come see me, cub."

Keith was curious as to what her intentions were, so he did as she instructed. He was standing in front of his lion as she knelt down. He obediently climbed into her mouth and made his way to the pilot's seat. He sat down. "I'm here. Now, what?"

He felt a tapping in the back of his mind, where his bond with Red was. It felt like she wanted him to meet her there, so he closed his eyes and followed the bond to where her essence was. There was a flash of white that was so bright it caused Keith to shield his eyes. He still felt it was too bright, so his arms were still flung in front of his face. He felt soft, silky fur rub against him before the brightness dimmed significantly. He cautiously opened his eyes and saw a large, fluffy red lioness standing in front of him, her massive form blocking the light. "Hello, cub."

"Red?" Keith paused at the sound of his voice. It sounded higher pitched than normal. He looked down and saw he was in the body of a child. He looked back up at Red with, he was ashamed to admit it, tears in his eyes.

Red reacted immediately. "Shh, cub. It's all right. This isn't an actual physical change. Our bond chose this form for you, when you followed it through the flash. When you go back to the physical world, you'll be back to normal."

Keith sniffled a little but understood what she was saying. At that moment, though, he wanted to curl up against her. He nodded and approached her. He sat down and leaned against her. He felt her shift as she curled around him. "Why did it choose a child?"

"Apparently, at this age, you haven't built your walls up." Red nuzzled his head gently. "You are  _adorable,_  my little cub."

Keith pouted, but his lower lip started trembling. He couldn't stop the flow of tears or the sob that escaped his throat. He dug his fingers into her fur and cried. She was so soft and maternal to him that his child self cried in relief at finally having a mother. Red simply allowed her cub to cry himself to sleep, snuggled against her fur. She licked the tear tracks off his face and purred to him, lulling him into a much more peaceful sleep. It worked out wonderfully. It surprised her when he started purring in his sleep. She draped her tail over him. She knew he had Galra blood in him, but he was still her beloved Paladin. It didn't matter to her what was in his blood. He almost gave his life to protect her, so she would do the same for him. He was her pilot, her Paladin, her cub.

Fin


	2. Cubs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith misses Red Lion and is allowed to go back to the Castle for a break. His time with his old lion is interrupted by a most welcome disturbance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This ended up being a sequel to "Her Cub" and is also DoM, Klance, and de-aging (and yet not de-aging).

"Cubs"

Keith was visiting the castle, having gotten permission from Kolivan to take a little break from Marmoran missions. His leader was always worried that Keith was doing too much on missions, seeing as Keith was considered a kit. He shouldn't have been allowed to take the Trials of Marmora at his age, but none of the Blades had even considered he was part Galra. Since they found out, Keith had found himself being taken care of, which reminded him of Red.

When he had asked Kolivan if he could go visit his friends at the castle, Kolivan gave him a rare smile. He swept Keith closer to him and nuzzled him. Keith had purred and nuzzled him back. "Of course you can go, kit. Just come back home when you're done."

Kolivan had run his claws through Keith's hair and rumbled to him. Keith had almost melted at the affection. "I'll be back in a couple of quintants."

%%%

When Keith landed the pod in the hangar, there was no one waiting for him, which suited him just fine. He quietly made his way to Red Lion's hangar and was pleasantly surprised to see her particle barrier was down and her eyes were lit up. He stepped over to her and could feel her purring in his mind. He smiled and opened his mind. A fluffy, red lioness appeared. "Hello, cub."

"Hi, Red. I missed you."

"I missed you too. Are you staying this time?"

"No. I have to go back in a couple of quintants, but I am here right now." Keith settled next to one of Red's paws.

%%%

Lance was told to go bond with his lion. Lance wasn't sure how he was supposed to bond with Red. He guessed just talking to her might work. He entered the hangar and stopped short. Sitting next to his lion was Keith! Lance didn't want to disturb his crush, but he also didn't want to not say 'hi' to him either. He stood there, weighing his choices.

%%%

Keith had long since retreated into his bond with Red, following the lioness through the bright white light. It irked him that the bond he had with Red made him appear as a child, but he liked that he was able to curl up against Red's soft fur, which was what he was doing at that moment. Red was curled around her cub, purring to him, and he purred back.

%%%

Red realized that her current Paladin was visiting her too. She knew of Lance's crush on Keith and that Keith harbored the same type of feelings for Lance. She opened her bond with Lance and beckoned him to go through the flash like she did with Keith. Lance appeared as a child as well, but he wasn't distraught the way Keith was when he had first followed her through their bond.

Lance slowly approached the red lioness and raven-haired boy curled up against her, both of whom were purring.

"Hi?" The other boy's head shot up, and Lance recognized those violet eyes. "Keith?"

Keith stared at the brunette. "Lance?"

"Sit down, cub." Red flicked her tail at Lance. He sat down next to Keith, who looked at Red. Red purred to him. "He likes you too."

Lance blushed. He hadn't thought Red was listening to him when...wait. Did she say 'too'? Lance looked at Keith, who surprisingly flung his arms around him. Keith had his head against Lance's and was rubbing their cheeks together. Lance smiled and wrapped his arms around Keith as well.

Red purred even louder and used her tail to guide her cubs to lay against her as they held each other. They definitely deserved each other.

Fin


	3. Feline

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shiro is turned into a kitten.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This was suggested by Smallblaa. However, Keith hijacked my keyboard (and Black Lion did as well), so it turned out a bit differently than intended.

"Feline"

Lance, Keith, Pidge, Hunk, Allura, and Coran were crowded around the table, peering at something that was on the table. It was a pure black kitten that had its right front paw and a little of its right front leg missing, a white patch of fur between its ears, and grey eyes. The kitten was adorable; no one could deny that.

Keith stooped down and put his head level with the kitten. The kitten hobbled over to Keith and mewled. Keith stared at the kitten, and an uneasy thought entered his mind. He whispered, "Shiro?"

The kitten rubbed his head against Keith's head. Keith stood up and gently scooped up the kitten. "Guys, I don't know how, but this is Shiro."

Lance gave a little laugh. "Oh, c'mon, Mullet. Shiro's not a cat, unlike you."

"I'm part Galra, Lance, not a cat, and this is Shiro." Keith held Shiro the kitten up, still cupped in his hands, to Lance's face. "Look at his eyes!"

Humoring his team mate, Lance looked at the kitten's eyes and almost yelped. There was a human intelligence displayed there that he couldn't deny. "Shiro! I'm so sorry. I didn't know."

"How did this happen?" Hunk asked.

"We can examine him to see if we can determine how this occurred and how to reverse this," Allura commented.

Keith had brought Shiro back to his chest, cradling him close to his chest and softly purred to him. As much as he denied being cat-like, the Galra were basically giant purple Space Cats and had cat like instincts. One of those was the ability to purr, which he had discovered on accident while with the Blades. It was a happy accident, but that wasn't important. What was important was that Shiro was purring back to him, while they walked to the infirmary.

They entered the infirmary, and Keith placed Shiro on one of the examination beds. Coran brought out a hand scanner and passed it over Shiro's body, looking at the diagnostic as he went. 

"Interesting," Coran murmured, stroking his mustache.

"Mrow?"

The Paladins and Alteans looked at the kitten, who had his head cocked. Pidge cocked her head in response. "Can you understand us?"

Shiro nodded his head. The group blinked as one.

"Well, that does help," Keith commented.

"Even so, we can't understand him," Lance pointed out.

"I have an idea that just may work, but first, Coran, what did you find out?"

"Nothing. Nothing indicates why Shiro is a...kitten as you Earthlings call him. According to the readings, he should be his normal self right now."

Keith scooped up the kitten. "Well, maybe he knows."

"And  _how_  are you going to find out?" Lance asked.

"I'm going to take him to Black Lion and see if our bond will work," Keith simply stated before exiting the infirmary. He exhaled deeply as soon as he was out of the rest of the team's earshot.

"Mrow?" Shiro rubbed a furry cheek against Keith's chest.

"I'm okay. Everyone was crowding around me. I know it wasn't me they were interested in, but they were still too close."

Shiro suddenly jumped up onto Keith's shoulder and purred in his ear. Keith smiled and purred back. They kept purring, even as they walked into Black's hangar. A third purr joined theirs. "Hello, little one."

"Hey, Black. We need your help," Keith replied, still purring, as he climbed into Black's mouth.

"We-oh! Shiro! What happened? Come through the bond. Both of you."

Keith walked through the flash of light with Shiro still on his shoulder. When the flash subsided, there stood a big, fluffy, black lioness and child Keith and child Shiro (who was standing  _behind_  Keith).

Keith turned around, threw his arms around Shiro's shoulders, and buried his face in Shiro's neck. "I didn't know if it would work!"

"I'm glad it did. Now, we can talk."

"Do you know how you got turned into a kitten?" Keith asked as they settled against Black Lion.

Shiro nodded. "At the last planet we visited, they said I looked really tired and gave me something that they  _said_  helped relax the body. I guess humans have a different reaction to it."

"So, it was something you ingested, my Paladin?"

"Yeah. Apparently." Shiro curled up against Black's fur. "This feels nice."

Keith cocked his head. "Do you not show up as a kid when you normally go through the bond?"

"No."

Keith whined. "Then, why do I?"

Black licked Keith's hair, eliciting a purr from him. "Each Paladin's form is chosen by the type of bond they have with their lion."

"So, both you and Red see me as a child?"

"As our cub," Black gently corrected, purring. She used her tail to guide Keith to curl up against her body. "Rest, my Paladins. You are safe with me."

"Wait. I need to tell everyone what I learned," Keith said, fighting the comfortable feeling that was slowly overtaking him.

"Use your data pad to send a short message, but both of you are staying here, because you are tired."

Keith quickly pulled out his data pad and typed out a message explaining what Shiro told him and that they were napping with Black. He put the data pad back in his pocket and curled back up against Black. Her purr was so similar to Galra rumbles that Keith easily fell asleep.

%%%

Shiro yawned, stretched, and cracked an eye, taking in his surroundings. He saw Keith curled up against Black's fur, both of whom were purring. He smiled at his second-in-command's child self. He was adorable, and Shiro found himself reluctant to leave the space where Paladin and lion freely interact. True, he was a kid, but at least he was human. He could talk and be understood. However, he knew he would turn back into a kitten when he left. He sighed and buried his face in Black's fur, listening to the dual purrs. After a couple more doboshes, he lifted his head and reached out to shake Keith awake. "Keith, time to get up."

"Don' wanna. Comfy."

Shiro smiled at Keith's comment, sitting up. He was acting like a real kid. "I know, bud, but we should get going. The others will wonder where we are."

"They shouldn't. I told them where we are, what we learned, and what we are doing. We're okay. Besides, isn't this better than being a kitten, where no one understands you and everyone has to take care of you?"

"I suppose."

"And according to Black, this has to work its way out of your system, so we have plenty of time to spend here."

"The little one is right, my young Paladin. You two should stay here with me."

"That settles it, Shiro. Lay back down." Keith had an impressively strong grip for someone his size and had no problem pulling Shiro back down against both him and Black Lion. Shiro sighed and wrapped his arms around Keith comfortably. He closed his eyes, convinced that he would try again in a couple of doboshes.

It was actually a couple of vargas later that Shiro opened his eyes, and the only reason was because he heard multiple voices. He sat up and, to his astonishment, saw Red Lion, Blue Lion, Green Lion, and Yellow Lion as real lionesses and the rest of the Paladins. He and Keith were the only children, Pidge was her normal age but with longer hair, Lance was a pre-teen, and Hunk was his normal age as well. Keith was astride Red and calling out to Lance to join him. Pidge was stretched out on top of Green, who was laying off to the side so she wouldn't get trampled. Yellow was trotting behind Hunk, who had noticed that Shiro was awake and was coming his way.

"Hey, Shiro. Did we wake you?"

"It's okay, Hunk. I should have been awake. Why are you guys here?"

"According to Keith, he tried to leave, but Black stopped him. When he insisted that the rest of us needed to spend time with you, she contacted the rest of the lions, who prodded us to enter our bonds with them. We all ended up here." Hunk sat down next to Shiro, Yellow laying down in front of Black. Black proceeded to groom Yellow's head as their Paladins continued talking. "I'm glad you're human here, Shiro. Kitten you is adorable, but I prefer human Shiro."

"We all do."

Shiro looked up and saw Keith and Lance both astride Red and Blue, respectively, and Pidge standing next to Green. Lance was grinning as he was the one who had spoken.

"Well, you can thank Black. She was the one who decided that she wanted me human instead of a kitten."

Seeing the rest of his team mates nearby, Hunk gently slid Shiro into the space between his legs, letting their leader lean back against his chest. The rest of the Paladins gathered around Shiro and Hunk. Lance and Pidge leaned against Hunk's sides, and Keith was tucked against Lance's side. Black Lion was still laying behind the group of Paladins. Blue was curled behind Lance and near Black's tail. Yellow was still laying near Black's head. Red was curled around her Paladin, laying her head in his lap, and Green was laid out in front of the group but still mostly curled around them, her tail draped across Pidge's legs. All of the lions purred to their Paladins with Keith echoing the purring.

%%%

Allura and Coran were wondering where the Paladins had gone. They knew Keith had taken Shiro to the Black Lion to try and get some answers and had succeeded and were actually resting with the lion. A couple of vargas later, the other three Paladins inexplicably left the bridge and haven't been seen since. Allura was about the scan the ship to make sure they hadn't left or got lost on the large ship, when she got a mental image of all five of her Paladins resting in a pile with the lions curled around them. What really struck a cord in her was that all of the lions were real, furry lionesses; Shiro was human; and three of her Paladins were younger than normal. Slightly confused, she pushed against the presence behind the image and received a purr in response. It was Blue! She smiled as she looked at the image again. Her Paladins were together, resting, and bonding with their lions. That was all right with her. They had figured out the situation concerning Shiro appearing as a kitten, how to fix it, and since the Galra were not attacking, it was perfectly fine to let the Paladins rest. After all, even Defenders of the Universe needed to relax.

Fin 


	4. Forged In Fire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What if the Paladins start to get powers via the lions based on their guardian roles, because they have all bonded so close with their lions.

"Forged In Fire"

The Paladins were outside, enjoying the pleasant weather of the planet they had landed on. It was a nice change of pace from being in the endless vastness of space. However, they weren't  allowed to just relax in the twin suns. They still had to train, but they had decided to do the mind meld in the warmth of the suns before bonding further with their lions, who were nearby.

It was getting hotter than the group of five realized. Pidge was the one who was getting the hottest and fanned herself, imagining that she had some shade. There was a rustling sound before the heat diminished over her and her team mates. She opened her eyes to see if someone (or her lion) had blocked the suns only to be shocked that a tree was twisted in her direction to cover the Paladins with its branches. She gasped, breaking the mental link she had with the other Paladins.

"Ow! What's the big idea, gremlin?" Lance groused. "We were onto something."

"The tree moved! I was wishing we had some cover, and it twisted itself to cover us!" Pidge insisted. Just then, she heard a soft rumbling from the bond she had with her lion. She cocked her head and followed the bond into the space where Paladin and lion could interact freely. "Green?"

"You did that, my Paladin. You have been able to achieve a strong enough bond with me that you have been able to unlock your abilities as the Guardian of the forest."

"Abilities? You mean I can control plants?"

"Yes, Paladin."

"Have the others unlocked their abilities?"

Green flicked her tail and cocked her head. Suddenly, the other lionesses appeared followed shortly by the other Paladins. She took in the sight of the other Paladins. Shiro looked mostly the same, except his hair was completely black and didn't have the Galra arm or his nose scar. Hunk looked exactly the same as usual. Lance looked like a pre-teen. She looked normal as well except for her hair now reached her mid back. However, she didn't see Keith anywhere. She looked around, attracting the others' attention. Shiro smiled. "Don't worry, Katie. Keith is here."

"Where?"

Shiro looked over his shoulder, and a little boy peeked out from his behind Shiro's waist. He moved out from behind Shiro completely, flinching slightly when Shiro placed a gentle hand on his head.

"Keith?" Pidge questioned.

"Yeah. It's me," Keith groused. A soft rumble attracted his attention. The young boy turned to face his red lioness. "Red."

"Come here, cub." Red laid down and waited for her Paladin to come over and curl up against her, softly purring to each other.

"Not that I mind, but why were we called here?" Shiro asked.

"Pidge found out she has unlocked her abilities as the Guardian of the forest and asked if the rest of you had," Green answered.

"Abilities?"

"Each of you were able to unlock your abilities related to your Guardian roles," Blue nudged Lance lightly so not as to knock him over. He turned and hugged her around her neck.

"So, what can we control?" Lance inquired.

"You can control water, Lancey Lance."

"You have power of the wind," Black told Shiro.

"You can control the land," Yellow informed her Paladin.

Red didn't speak out loud to her Paladin. She spoke directly into his mind as she licked his hair. "You can control fire, my cub." She felt him stiffen at the admission. She purred louder to him and continued licking him. Red realized her Paladin was trying to regain his control over his composure, so she let them drift into their bond where they would have some privacy. "There we go, cub. Now, we are alone. If you need to cry, go ahead. No one will see you."

Keith curled against Red tighter and cried. If he was honest with himself, he was scared of being able to control fire. He had lost his father in a fire and knew how devastating fire could be. He didn't want to use his new powers if he could help it.

%%%

The lounge was abuzz with the excited chatter of the Paladins or, rather, most of them. They each had such a strong bond with his (or her) lion that the lion shared powers with her Paladin based on what they were the guardian of. Shiro could control wind, Pidge plants, Lance water, and Hunk the land. The four of them had used their new powers frequently in battle and even trained using their new abilities with varying degrees of success.

The only Paladin who hadn't used his new powers was Keith. He received the power of fire but was reluctant to use it, because he knew how devastating fire could be, since he lost his father in a fire; something he hadn't told anyone about (not even Shiro). Also, he didn't let the other Paladins know he could control fire and simply kept using his bayard in battle. After several missions where Shiro, Pidge, Lance, and Hunk used their powers and Keith didn't, Shiro asked, "Keith, I know you can control fire. Why aren't you using it?"

Keith froze. How had Shiro figured that out? He thought he had been so careful to not use his powers at all. He noticed Lance, Pidge, and Hunk peering at him curiously, which snapped him out of his shock. He managed to escape the other Paladins and ran to the Red Lion's hangar. She knelt down to allow him entrance and quickly put up her particle barrier before anyone could get close. Red purred to her cub as he sat in the pilot's seat, shaking slightly.

"What's wrong, cub?"

"Why did you give me power over fire? I lost my father in a fire."

"You are strong and can help save the universe, because even though you lost a part of yourself that day, you are forged in fire, stronger than before. You are an exploding star that no one can touch, yet its light protects those who deserve it. I love you, my cub."

%%%

The very next day was another mission. This one was a little different than the previous ones due to the fact that Keith had gotten separated from the rest of the Paladins. It ended up being fortuitous, because the rest of the Paladins ended up being captured. When Keith saw that, he ran towards the Galra who had his friends cornered and his hands just _bursted_  into flames, which he used to decimate the troops, because these Paladins, his pack, were under his jurisdiction, under this star’s protection.

Fin


	5. Weary

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith is tired and decides to go rest with Red Lion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is Mama Red Lion (and a little bit Mama Black Lion).

"Weary"

Keith yawned and stumbled into Red's hangar. The mechanical lion activated and leaned down, letting her Paladin inside. Keith gratefully sank into the pilot's seat and tiredly smiled. "Hi, Red."

He felt a prodding at the back of his mind where the bond between Paladin and lion was. Keith followed Red through the bond. He shielded his eyes as he went through the bright flash. Once the light dimmed again, Keith opened his eyes. He saw his fluffy red lioness laying down nearby. He smiled, walked over, and curled up against her. She purred to him. "How are you doing, my cub?"

"I'm really tired, Red. We have been defending the universe from the Galra and unable to sleep. We just got to a safe area, and we're finally able to get rest. I wanted to be with you."

Red purred louder. "Then, stay here with me, cub. I'm here for you."

Keith snuggled against his lioness. His child body was small enough to curl up against her red fur and keep warm. He purred back softly, drifting off to sleep.

%%%

Shiro was making his rounds, making sure his fellow Paladins had gone to bed. Even though he was exceedingly tired as well, he wanted to make sure his teammates were well rested, especially since they were just teenagers. He was happy that he found Lance, Hunk, and Pidge in their rooms but was worried when he didn't see Keith in his room. He quickly checked the training deck and was grateful that it was empty, but where was Keith?

He was just starting to worry when he felt a prodding at the back of his mind where his bond with Black was located. He pushed back against it, not wanting to go through the bond in the middle of the hallway. He received a purr and the reassurance that Keith was safe. He still felt apprehensive and knew that it wouldn't go away until he saw Keith himself. Black chuckled and sent a picture of little Keith curled up with a red furry lioness.

Shiro smiled as he realized that Keith was sleeping with Red. That was okay as long as he was resting. With Black purring in the back of his mind, Shiro trudged his way to his room to hopefully get some rest, because he knew he'd need it. After all, being the defenders of the universe wasn't easy.

Fin


	6. Precious Paladin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith visits Red after being locked out of the training deck.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is Mama Red Lion.

"Precious Paladin"

Keith dragged himself into Red's hangar. He was so keyed up and irritated at the same time. Someone locked the training deck, and he had been wanting to train in order to tire himself out so he could sleep. However, since the training deck was locked, he decided to visit Red.

Red always like when her Paladin visited her. They had such a strong bond. She knelt down and opened her mouth, allowing him entrance. He gratefully entered her mouth and sank into the cockpit seat. "Hi, Red."

"Hello, my cub. Come join me through our bond."

Keith smiled and closed his eyes. He easily found and followed his bond with Red through the flash of light that always made him shield his eyes. When he opened his eyes, he saw the fluffy, real lioness form of his lion, who was laying down, waiting for him. He walked over and cuddled up next to her. His seven-year-old self made it easy to curl up next to Red. He sighed happily and closed his eyes.

She wasn't the biggest lion, but she was his. She was warm and comfortable to lie against. She was a constant presence even when they weren't physically together. He could always feel her in the back of his mind, tempering his anger and making sure he never felt alone.

Red purred softly to her cub, not surprised when he purred back to her. It was a sign that he was asleep, because he usually purred when he was sleeping. She shifted slightly to curl around him and protect her precious Paladin as he slept.

Fin


	7. Too Much Energy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When the training deck is closed for upgrades, Keith find himself with too much energy. Fortunately, Mama Red knows how to help her cub.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This is AU, where Thace, Ulaz, and Antok survived. Keith considers the BoM his pack, and they consider Keith their kit. This is Mama Red Lion.

"Too Much Energy"

Keith was sitting in the lounge, fidgeting. He had a ton of pent up energy and no way to expel it. The training deck was closed for an update. Coran was taking the next two quintants to add training scenarios from the Blades of Marmora. As exciting as that sounded to Keith, it gave him no outlets for his energy. He knew he needed to get rid of his energy, or he wouldn't be able to sleep.

He heard a roar in his mind. "Red?"

"Come to me, cub."

Keith blushed at her calling him 'cub' but did as she requested. Maybe she'd let him go flying and do some death defying stunts where his adrenaline would spike, and then he would crash after the spike.

He entered Red's hangar and was pleased to see  her eyes lit up. She knelt down and opened her mouth, allowing him entrance. He walked into her cockpit and sat down in the seat. "Hi, Red."

He felt her brush against their bond and knew she wanted him to follow her into it. He shrugged and closed his eyes, following their bond through the flash. He flung his arms in front of his face to fend off the bright flash that always assaulted his eyes. He lowered his arms but didn't open his eyes until a shadow fell over him and blocked out the majority of the light. He opened his eyes and saw the fluffy, real lioness form of his lion. "Hello, my cub."

"Hey, Red." Keith knew he appeared as a seven-year-old through the lion bond.

"I know you have an excess amount of energy and need a way to get rid of it."

"Yeah. What do you have in mind?"

Red crouched down and lightly swiped at Keith's legs. He jumped over her paw and was confused until he saw the grin on her face. She was play fighting with him, just like his pack. He returned her grin and playfully growled at her. He charged at her and tried to tackle her. However, that worked as well as it did against Antok, which wasn't well at all. He ended up on her back and paused, wondering what she was going to do. He didn't have long to wait, because she laid down, effectively getting him to slide off her back, and tickled him with her tail. He giggled and squealed, trying to get away from her tickling tail.

She did let him go when she noticed that he was gasping for breath. She nuzzled him while he got his breath back. After he got his breath back, she switched from nuzzling him to grooming his hair. He let out a yawn. "Red?"

"Tired, my cub?"

"Yeah actually."

"Then go ahead and get some rest. I'm here to protect you." Red curled around her tired Paladin, who yawned again before he started purring as his eyes drifted closed. Red was glad that she was able to help her Paladin unwind and get some rest.

Fin


End file.
